ABSTRACT:The purpose of this paper is to explore and analyse the social significance of chronic kidney disease at their end stage (ESRD) and the factors for its increasing worldwide and in Bulgaria. National and international databases and literature sources on the problem have been studied. Data shows that 9.1% (697.5 million people) of the world's population suffers from ESRD. Bulgaria is one of the most affected countries in Europe. The disease has been rising and is expected to become the fifth most common cause of global burden of disease by the year 2040. Potential risk factors of ESRD – diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking etc., are typical for modern society. Population aging, as well as prolonging patients’ life through the method of haemodialysis, also favour the upward trend. This loads the public health funds because of high treatment cost and limiting professional and social role of affected persons.

Keywords: socially significant diseases, end stage of renal disease (ESRD), global burden of diseases

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